SmackDown duo had plans with AEW before shock WWE signing - Reports

A popular WWE duo on SmackDown seemingly had major plans in All Elite Wrestling before deciding to sign with the Stamford-based promotion last year. The company is building towards Night of Champions 2025 this Saturday night in Saudi Arabia.

According to a new report from Fightful Select, the Motor City Machine Guns had been pitched huge plans in All Elite Wrestling before deciding to join WWE last year. The duo could have battled The Young Bucks at AEW All In 2024, but opted not to sign with the Jacksonville-based promotion.

The Motor City Machine Guns won the WWE Tag Team Championship on the October 25 edition of SmackDown. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley defeated The Bloodline's Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa to become champions. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) captured the titles from MCMG in December 2024. The Street Profits are now the reigning champions on the blue brand.

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Former WWE writer reveals the biggest issue he has with the Motor City Machine Guns

Wrestling legend and former WWE head writer Vince Russo recently shared why he believed that the Motor City Machine Guns were not popular among fans.

Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's BroDown, Russo noted that the company had not done a good enough job of establishing the former champions as characters on television. He stated that they could not simply be presented as wrestlers and that fans needed to know more about the stars to get invested in them.

"The first thing you got to do, Mac, is you've got to create their characters where they're different individuals. They just can't be wrestlers. All we know about Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley right now, and we're like three months in, all we know is they're wrestlers. That's all we know."

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin made a name for themselves in the world of professional wrestling before joining the Stamford-based promotion last year. The duo was defeated by The Wyatt Sicks' Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy earlier this month on SmackDown. It will be interesting to see what the company has planned for MCMG in the weeks ahead on the blue brand.